Greetings: I am writing to invite your union to participate in the ninth year of our exciting March 8th Project developed by the OFL Women’s Committee celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD). This year’s theme is “POWER OF MANY.” Both the pewter pin and poster are a work of art that our members and community partners…
(TORONTO, ON) – Many of the regulatory changes proposed today in Bill 66 compromise the health and safety of Ontarians, says the Ontario Federation of Labour. “From reclassifying employers so they can avoid hiring well-trained unionized workers for public infrastructure projects to increasing the number of children allowed in home-based daycare facilities Doug Ford is…
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women remembers the 14 women killed at École Polytechnique de Montréal. Gender-based violence continues to take lives around the globe. A UN report shows that this year alone 50,000 women have been killed by an intimate partner. Every six days in Canada a woman loses…
Dear Premier Ford, Premier, I write today amidst growing concern in my community. The recent announcement that General Motors plans to close the Oshawa assembly plant in 2019 has hit my community hard. GM’s decision will have a devastating impact on GM workers, their families, and the city of Oshawa, but will also affect thousands…
(TORONTO, ON) The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) stands with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) as concerned community members hold solidarity actions across the province against back-to-work legislation. “Back-to-work legislation is unconstitutional and an attack on our democratic rights. Canadians are rightfully concerned at the speed and ease with which our government has…
(TORONTO, ON) By passing back-to-work legislation to end the strike by CUPW workers seeking fairer and safer working conditions, the federal government has undermined the constitutional rights of all Canadians. “The right to strike is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. All Canadians should be concerned by the ease with which the government…
On November 25, it was reported that the GM plant in Oshawa is facing closure. This morning, after confirmation that there is no vehicle scheduled for production at the plant after 2019, GM workers walked off the job in advance of the company’s announcement. Workers know that although the employer holds the balance of power,…
(TORONTO, ON) – Yesterday’s announcement on changes to Ontario’s social assistance programs are continuing Ford’s attack on Ontario’s most vulnerable, says Ontario Federation of Labour. “Without a strong social safety net that is designed with compassion and inclusivity at its core, the policies outlined by the Ford government will only push people deeper into poverty,”…
(TORONTO, ON) – With the unconscionable passing of Bill 47, which takes away basic workplace rights from Ontarians, this government has shown again that it is governing for the few, making decisions without sufficient consultation and research that will drive millions of working Ontarians into poverty, say labour and community advocates. “The Ford government is…
Allyship with Trans* and Two-Spirit folks is essential to creating an inclusive and healthy world. To that end, the OFL has created info sheets on being an ally. You can download them at the links below: Trans* Allyship: Being an Out and Proud Trans* Ally Trans* Allyship: Talking About Pronouns Two-Spirit: Tips for Allyship November…
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0A6 Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, On behalf of the Ontario Federation of Labour, Canada’s largest provincial federation, and our 54 affiliates, we are calling on your government to initiate the changes needed at Canada Post that will bring about…
(TORONTO, ON) – An action will be held at the PC convention in protest of the Progressive Conservative Party’s continuing actions to reduce workers’ rights in Ontario. Since taking office, Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party have made cuts to social assistance, cancelled important health curriculum, and are planning to take away basic workplace…
(TORONTO, ON) – From start to finish, the Fall Economic Statement is a disappointment for Ontarians and their families, says the Ontario Federation of Labour. “After this economic statement, Ontarians are facing even harder times: poor funding for public services, a cancelled minimum wage increase, a tax cut that is unusable for many vulnerable workers,…
(TORONTO) – Community and labour groups will hold “Peoples’ Hearings” on November 15 across Ontario, in protest of Ford government’s decision to limit Thursday’s Bill 47 hearing by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs to a mere five hours. “The people of Ontario, the same people Premier Ford had promised to govern for,…
(TORONTO, ON) – Labour activists will fill the committee rooms at Queen’s Park tomorrow, as the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs hears deputations on Bill 47, a bill which will strip Ontario workers of basic workplace rights. Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley will present to the committee at 9:00 a.m. on…
(TORONTO, ON) – This winter, our government is pushing workers out into the cold by cancelling workplace rights and the $15 minimum wage with Bill 47, but that’s not the only shameful way this government is treating workers. An internal memo from the Ministry of Labour signalled the intention to put a freeze on proactive…
(TORONTO, ON) – The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) condemns the mass murder of eleven worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and sends deepest condolences to the many families who lost loved ones in this anti-Semitic attack, and to those who were injured and their families. “This shooting is one more terrifying…
(TORONTO, ON) – The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) sends condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of a worker in his 40’s who was killed on October 25, 2018, when he was pinned between a tractor trailer and the loading dock at Upper Crust, one of a group of companies owned by Fiera Foods…
The OFL has a policy of non-violence, supporting peaceful protest in support of workers’ rights and fair treatment in the workplace. All actions are listed on the OFL website and publicized widely on social media. Non-violent civil disobedience is a cornerstone of democracy and a powerful force for change in society. “I want to be…